A crucified cat has been found strung up to a wooden cross with a biblical verse carved into it- outside a church.

The horrifying discovery was made outside the Real Life Christian Church, in Lake County, Florida by an employee.

The dead feline was tied to the cross - which was mounted to the west of the church - with what appeared to be pink ribbon. Along the length of the cross, a chilling handwritten message had been carved into the wood.

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A dead cat was discovered mounted to a cross with a biblical message scrawled across it outside a Lake County church in Florida

A dead cat was discovered mounted to a cross with a biblical message scrawled across it outside a Lake County church in Florida

Taken from the bible, the verse reads: 'Thou shalt not make my father's house a den of thieves. Matthew 7:3, ye hypocrites.'

'It's horrific. I wouldn't have imagined anything like that in this town,' Rudolph Estrada told Wesh.

Police were called to the church at just after 7am last Sunday, February 1.

Church leaders have condemned the cruel act and said they were praying for whoever carried it out.

'We are truly saddened by this inhumane act against one of God's creatures,' they said.

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'While we have no idea what would prompt someone to do something like this, we are praying for them and for those affected by it.'

Churchgoer Yvonne Marchione who lives near to the Real Life Church, which recently received a $1.4 million donation to run its food pantry and outreach programs to refurbish homes for the poor and elderly, told News 13: 'It's hideous, it's disgusting that someone would do that,' she said.

Surveillance cameras mounted around the church were not able to capture the person or people responsible. Police in Lake County have launched an investigation into the grisly crime but confirmed that no arrests had been made.

The cross had a bible verse from Matthew 7:3 which read 'thou shalt not make my father's house a den of thieves'

The cross had a bible verse from Matthew 7:3 which read 'thou shalt not make my father's house a den of thieves'

The cat was found by an employee with Real Life Christian Church who discovered it mounted on the cross on the west side of the building

The cat was found by an employee with Real Life Christian Church who discovered it mounted on the cross on the west side of the building

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